Signal 1

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Signal One

Broadcast area	Staffordshire & southern Cheshire
First air date	September 5, 1983
Frequency	96.4 MHz, 96.9 MHz, 102.6 MHz, DAB
Format	Contemporary
Owner	UTV Radio

Signal One is an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting from studios in Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent to Staffordshire and Cheshire on 96.4 (Sutton Common, Macclesfield), 96.9 (Pye Green) and 102.6 MHz FM (Alsagers Bank) for Cheshire, Stafford and North Staffordshire respectively. It also broadcasts on the Stoke "UTV-EMAP Stoke-on-Trent" DAB multiplex 12D.

It can also be received in Flintshire, Shropshire, Birmingham and Merseyside, thus exceeding the official station area. However, a weak DAB signal for the station persists in these areas. In RAJAR surveys, Signal 1 have consistently emerged as the leading station in their market. In October 2005, it launched an MP3 internet stream facility.

The station began as Signal Radio which first broadcast to Staffordshire in September 1983, with DJ John Evington selecting Neil Diamond's "Beautiful Noise" as its first track. It is now home to the "Andy and Louise" breakfast show (Ray Crowther on Stafford 96.9), with Dave Johnson on mid-mornings and Liz Ellis' show "The Big Drive Home". Local news and sport is broadcast each hour.

In 1992, the station Signal Cheshire began broadcasting as part of the same group to the neighbouring county of Cheshire and the south Manchester town of Stockport on 96.4 and 104.9 MHz FM. In 1997, adding to the confusion, it became variously Signal FM, Signal 104.9/96.4, or Signal 105. In 2000 this was rebranded as Imagine FM. When Imagine's licence for its Stockport 104.9 frequency was readvertised, then owners of both stations The Wireless Group decided to return its Cheshire 96.4 frequency to Signal One.

The Wireless Group bought the station in 1999 and were subsequently bought themselves by UTV Radio.

[edit] Trivia

Signal 1 also runs a youth club called Signal Smokebusters, for those who don't smoke or want to quit. Local children aged between 10 and 15 can join in for prizes and discounts. A show dedicated to the club is broadcast every sunday at 7:00-10:00pm, presented by Steve Ball.

It was famously ridiculed by BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Host Chris Moyles, saying the "Signal FM" was the worst station he had ever worked at. Chris worked at the station for a year between 1993 and 1994.

Every first Tuesday of each month, Signal broadcasts live from Liquid Nightclub, holding an event for young clubbers aged 18 and under.

In 2006 a single was released to coincide with the world cup, penned by DJ John Owen, which reached number 64 in the national charts.

In Christmas 2006 Johnny Owen released another song called Father Christmas Stole My Girl and the money is going to their local charity named Help a Signal Child. This song has not yet got into the national charts.